View of Durban World Cup stadium, taken from Durban Railway station where Sony HD CCTV cameras have been installed

It took 4 days, 6 plane journeys (approx. 14,450 miles) and 3 cities for SourceSecurity.com's editor, Ghislaine Bombusa, to visit one of Africa's first significant installation of High Definition (HD) CCTV surveillance solution in a railway installation, before stopping by to watch a historic World Cup quarter final unfold, live at the Green Point Stadium. 

The journey began at London Heathrow and then followed onto Johannesburg, Cape Town, and finally Durban. The trip, which was organised by Sony Professional Solutions Europe, offered a unique opportunity to see firsthand how HD CCTV technology could be successfully applied to a railway installation. The project began in February 2009 and was instigated by the need to redesign the Durban railway station in time for the 2010 World Cup. This was key, as Durban would be used as a connection point for passengers to travel between the centre of the city and the neighbouring World Cup stadium.  

Following careful consideration, Desan Govender of KgT Enterprises, the consultant of the project, chose Sony HD cameras for their impressive View-DR technology, which produces images with an extremely wide dynamic range and also because they offered the best quality for the budget that was reserved for the installation.  The Sony CCTV cameras used in the installation include a range of SNC-CH140 HD network fixed cameras, SNC-DH140

Africa's first significant HD CCTV surveillance installation at a railway station featuring Sony HD CCTV cameras

HD mini-dome network cameras, SNC-DF50P mini-dome network cameras and SNC-RX570 intelligent speed dome cameras. Currently, there are over 100 surveillance cameras installed at Durban station with the potential for expansion in the future, both at the main station and neighbouring substations.

After visiting the installation, the days that followed included: an amazing excursion to Table Mountain which boasted breathtaking views of Cape Town, a boat ride to Robben Island - the symbol of triumph of the human spirit and freedom over the oppressed - and of course, the much anticipated chance to sit amongst German and Argentinean fans and to watch a historic World Cup quarter final to the sound of the nation's vuvuzelas.